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Matchup Of The Game: Old Home Opener Pits Bengals' Compelling Rookie Debuts Vs. Chargers
Bengals rookie quarterback Joe Burrow's NFL debut (which also happens to be the debut of Williams) Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium against the Chargers (4:05 p.m.-Cincinnati's Local 12) has turned into an intimate, it's-a-small-world-after-all gathering with no fans but plenty of familiar faces.
40 percent of the 2020 Bengals roster was not on the team last season
They are led by the man believed to be their first rookie captain at least in this century when quarterback Joe Burrow got the nod in a vote of the players. He bookends the most senior Bengal when punter Kevin Huber became a captain for the first time in his 12 seasons and 174 games.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow among the Bengals seven captains for 2020
Quarterback Joe Burrow is a captain for the first time. He joins a group of veterans including wide receiver A.J. Green, running back Giovani Bernard, punter Kevin Huber, safety Vonn Bell, linebacker Josh Bynes and safety Shawn Williams.
Bengals winning No. 1 seed could make someone a millionaire
Last month a bettor at the MGM sportsbook at Mandelay Bay in Las Vegas plunked down $5,000 on the Cincinnati Bengals to earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs this season, at 250-1 odds. That bet would pay out $1.25 million if rookie quarterback Joe Burrow leads the Bengals on an improbable run to the top of their conference.
QB Joe Burrow named Bengals team captain as rookie
"It makes you feel good for sure," Burrow said in July. "But I'm going to have to continue to do my job. If I don't play well, that all goes out the window. That's what I'm focused on right now is playing really, really well and doing my job."
Zac Taylor News Conference | September 9, 2020
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor spoke about the team's Week 1 opponent, selecting the team captains and the excitement surrounding the season.
Pete Prisco's NFL Week 1 picks: Chiefs rout Texans, Saints spoil Brady's Bucs debut, Bengals upset Chargers
Picking them this season is even tougher. Without preseason games and limited access in terms of practices and media availability, it's tough to get a gauge on where teams are as we head into the first week of games.
Bengals Injury Roundup: Updates on Atkins, Dunlap and more
If he doesn't participate in practice at all this week, then that would be a bad sign, but if the veteran is able to get in a limited session or two, then fans can expect him to be on the field this Sunday against the Chargers.
Bengals roster moves: Cincinnati adds 2 players to practice squad
Sutherland should sound familiar too because he signed with the Bengals out of college in 2019 and was on the practice squad before eventually heading to Miami. He started two games there, spent all offseason there and was waived at final cuts.
Three takeaways from the Bengals first 2020 depth chart
Most of the starters, including rookie quarterback Joe Burrow, were already etched in stone. Despite the lack of surprise, there were a few items of note that are worth mentioning, especially in the wide receiver room and the secondary.
Around the league
Vikings DE Danielle Hunter placed on IR with undisclosed injury
Following NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport and NFL Network's Tom Pelissero report that Danielle Hunter's status for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers was very much in doubt due to an unspecified injury, the Minnesota Vikings announced they had placed Hunter on injured reserve.
How the Kansas City Chiefs became kings of the postseason comeback
Watch and listen to the Kansas City Chiefs describe their miraculous postseason run with come-from-behind victories over the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans.
2020 NFL season: Nine last-minute predictions before kickoff
Dallas acquired Cooper from the Raiders via trade midway through the 2018 campaign. In the 27 games since (including the postseason), he's piled up 145 catches for 2,085 yards and 15 touchdowns, leading the Cowboys in receiving yards in each of the past two seasons. Not too shabby. But suddenly, there's a new alpha wideout in town.
RB Index, Week 1: Predicting 2020's top 10 leading rushers
Derrick Henry enters 2020 as the reigning champion after a crazy campaign that saw him gain 1,540 yards on 303 carries and lead the Tennessee Titans all the way to the AFC Championship Game. This season Henry will attempt to become the first player to win consecutive rushing titles since my NFL Network colleague, Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson, did it in 2006 and '07.